A Few Dangers Using Hydrogen
When hydrogen is in a pure state, it is fairly safe. However, add air and hydrogen is combustible. While hydrogen is currently being used in various applications, mainly as a coolant for heat generated by electric power generators. Power plant operators use great care when using hydrogen in this application. That brings me to the notion that hydrogen is a power source that could supply us with a clean alternative to fossil fuels, or that it should currently be considered as energy the same as wind or solar power. This will probably be the case 30 years from now, but not currently. Let me explain.
Hydrogen Storage Presents Safety Issues
Since hydrogen is combustible when mixed with air, it is a dangerous substance. The explosive range of hydrogen is broad, concentrations range from 4 percent to 75 percent. All mixtures in that range are explosive. Hydrogen can be ignited with very little energy, and has a wide range of flammability. Hydrogen fire is pale blue and is almost invisible. To detect hydrogen fires, brooms are often used to sweep an area of a suspected fire. This is not what you want to do in your garage in the mornings when trying to get your hydrogen fueled vechile started. Hydrogen is almost impossible to keep stationary, because of it’s light weight and it’s molecules are small.
It is difficult to seal hydrogen, usually this means leaks. Fortunately hydrogen is light weight so it dissipates rapidly. When hydrogen does leak, it rises, so it would have to accumulate someplace near the leak, if at all, this would be a worry for anyone utilizing hydrogen. I don’t know, I think this would concern anyone with a supply of hydrogen cylinders (fuel cells) in their garage. Storing is the chief concern, because of the explosive energy in hydrogen if mixed with air. A standard portable cylinder filled with hydrogen at 2,400 psig is equivalent to 35 pounds of TNT with regard to explosive potential. A 12-pack of cylinders would equal 420 pounds of TNT and a typical tube trailer would equal 5,585 pounds of TNT.
Even though hydrogen is considered an alternative fuel under the Energy Policy Act of 1992, problems remain that could take decades to resolve. This discussion is directed at the danger inherent when using hydrogen for any application. Hydrogen will in future decades provide power for society, however there will be hopefully a full scale renewable energy scheme in place by that time. The hydrogen economy is not going to be seen in the near future.
How do you feel about all this? Make a comment, we’ll print it, even if we don’t agree. In the meantime, see you around the galaxy…
Tags: fuel cell, hydrogen, Hydrogen Economy, hydrogen fuel cell, renewable energy, solar power, TNT, wind power